Outsider
by ladyasile
Summary: Bankotsu ponders about the girl he met.


**Outsider**

* * *

A/N: A gift for my good friend Kittyb78! Happy (belated) Birthday!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or the characters.

* * *

With a heavy sigh, Bankotsu fell onto his chair. Not wanting to open his eyes, he remained still, except for the rise and fall of his chest when he would breathe. His clothes were shabby and wet, but at the moment it was all that kept him from freezing in his small apartment. Not too soon after, his throat became dry, and he wanted nothing more than to drink until he wouldn't feel thirsty anymore.

It should have bothered him to not have anything to drink, but rather than frowning, he smiled. No one was with him anymore, not since his brother had departed from the world of the living. The room was empty, cold, and lonesome, but he kept his smile on despite that. It was not a smile that had been created from happiness, nor from thinking of something joyful, just a smile to no one.

Bankotsu had stopped his complaining and tantrums over several months ago. The memory wiped his smile away, but the look within his eyes gave off something far more, he was sure. When the girl had given him shelter, it broke something within him. That something held his mask in place no longer. The mere thought of his strength and callous demeanor vanishing had been enough for him to get angry with the girl.

Yet it was that incident that made him realize a truth about himself that he had never thought of. Several before her had shown him kindness, and he neither had cared for it, not needed it. That left him thinking why this girl had been different from the rest. Soon after, the reason became clear.

No, she didn't posses some kind of power over him. It hadn't been love at first sight, since he never even craved for the touch of a woman. And it had not been that she was so different from everyone else. If anything, she was plain. She didn't posses beauty beyond his imagination, just average. It became clear to him that it wasn't a physical quality nor a personality trait that made him think of her.

"Her voice," he answered himself. The room still remained quiet, not that he had been expecting a response. Still, talking aloud was something he seldom did, and if no one was to listen to him, then talking to no one was good enough. "She didn't say anything, not like the others." It had been the lack of her voice that had separated her from all the rest.

Yawning, he gave up on his thoughts and turned on the computer in front of him. It was an old thing, but it was the single source or information and entertainment he had. Part of him liked indulging himself with the many services the Internet provided. And while he had electricity still running, he was determined in using his computer.

"Let's see what I can do today," he mumbled, half-tired from the long day. "Password? Banryu," he said as he typed in the words. It was rather inept of him to type in the name of his weapon as his password, but since no one knew the name, he didn't worry.

When it all had finished loading, he dragged his mouse over to window that had first popped up. "Ah, she's on," he muttered. Over the years he had lived there, he had grown curious about the many people that lived in his building. However, his profession required discretion and because of that he had grown wary of everyone around him. The one way to communicate with someone was through the Internet.

It was there that he had discovered instant messaging. Although there weren't many that he chatted with, he found himself going there most of the time. More often than not a friend whom he had come to know rather well was always on.

_Banryu: What's up?_

_Kittyb78: Hi! Not much. You?_

_Banryu: Just came back from work._

_Kittyb78: Rough day?_

_Banryu: The usual._

_Kittyb78: Anything you want to talk about?_

There were many things he wished to talk about. Yet explaining everything to someone would take a long time, and Bankotsu didn't have much. Looking at the time on his computer's screen, he shrugged.

_Banryu: It's this girl._

_Kittyb78: ?_

_Banryu: IDK. I think there's something about her…_

_Banryu: I can't stop thinking about her._

_Kittyb78: You like her?_

_Banryu: Maybe. Not sure._

_Kittyb78: When did you meet her?_

_Banryu: A long time ago, but I haven't seen her much since then._

_Kittyb78: Why?_

_Banryu: I don't know. I've thought about her, but I haven't visited her._

_Kittyb78: Maybe you should, or at least talk to her._

_Banryu: … You think so?_

_Kittyb78: It would help you._

_Banryu: Help me? How exactly?_

_Kittyb78: You've got a tough life, so she might be someone that could help you._

_Banryu: IDK._

_Kittyb78:? It's your choice._

_Banryu: Thanks._

_Kittyb78: YW_

_Banryu: TTYL_

_Kittyb78: K. Bye._

Yet another sigh escaped his lips. "I might as well. It can't get any worse than it is now, right?" Several moments of silence proceeded before he coughed. "What was her name again?" It took him several minutes to recall the name of the girl he had seen, but once he did, he wrote it down and vowed to not to forget it. "Kagome," he whispered. "Hm, that's her name, right?" He was not certain that the name he had seen inside her home was her name, but it had been on her mail, so it seemed like a logical place to find out a person's name.

Bankotsu got up and walked over to the mattress on the floor. It was just as tattered as his clothes were, but it was soft. And he felt like letting his body fall onto something gentle. When he had finished discarding his clothes, he pulled the small blanket over his body. "If Kagome isn't her name, then I guess I'll find out her real name tomorrow." With promising that, he fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

The End.


End file.
